Near to You
by That-Cheeky-Bat
Summary: Jack's dealing with his insurmountable feelings for Jamie followed by having to watch him grow up and move on, eventually being there for his death. But Jack always had someone by his side to help, there to make him better when he was down.


**Disclaimer:** I don't own Rise of the Guardians, nor do I own the song or the lyrics to the song I used within this one-shot feels fest.

The song this, and the lyrics, belong to is **A Fine Frenzy** and the song is **Near to You**.

**Jimbob Delilah**...I hate you so much right now. Damn your list of songs! I was supposed to be writing our co-written story, not doing _this_ shitfest! 7am...dafuq did the time go? Anyways, I've been searching for this song for what feels like ages - so thanks for giving it to me ;D But then I started thinking about the lyrics...

Anyways, enjoy peeps. **Shanatic** yanked it from my flash drive and urged me to post it.

* * *

**_He and I had something beautiful…_**

Jack remembered that moment like it was the back of his hand. The day he'd first been seen by none other than Jamie Bennett, the last light on the globe—but the first to ever _see_ and _hear_ him. The first Human being to acknowledge his presence and actually state his _name_. The first Human interaction Jack had been privy to since he'd been turned into a Spirit. Jamie, from that moment on, had become something beautiful to Jack.

**_But so dysfunctional, it couldn't last…_**

The only problem with this budding relationship? Jack was going to live forever, he assumed, which was why it was fairly dysfunctional when they'd first given it a go. They had played seemingly every year for _ages_, the games being innocent at first before they turned into something so much more. It was heaven for Jack, who hadn't experienced something that unique in _ages_. He'd found _love_ after three hundred plus years of roaming the world, unseen and unheard by all. But of course he didn't think that it couldn't last forever.

**_I loved him so but I let him go…_**

Jack had hoped that Jamie would recognize his signs. He hoped that Jamie was going to dare to step forward because Jack couldn't seem too. He didn't have the nerves to face rejection as he had from the Moon, his creator who had left him abandoned for three hundred years. It didn't take long for Jack to realize, though, that he'd have to eventually let Jamie go. As Jamie got older their differences became ever more apparent, even if Jamie still believed—was _still_ his first believer. He held a special spot in Jack's heart, one that wouldn't easily be replaced…but Jack also knew he'd have to let him go. He couldn't hold Jamie back as his life moved forward and Jack's remained ever stagnant.

**_'Cause I knew he'd never love me back…_**

Jack then came to the realization when he'd gone to visit Jamie while he was out at University, seeing him talking to a pretty girl, that Jamie had loved him back—but he had _loved_ him back. Not in the way Jack had hoped, craved, and it was here that Jack realized Jamie would never be able to love him back as Jack loved him. All it had taken was Jamie waving to Jack one day, giving him an apologetic smile before he stepped off with the girl that had been at his side—taking her small hand in his and walking away. Jack had felt the wind leave him in a rush, almost as if someone had kicked him in the stomach as the realization set in. He could love Jamie all he wanted, but Jamie could _never_ love him back.

**_Such pain as this shouldn't have to be experienced…_**

It was a heart wrenching realization to Jack, one that had made him face something so familiar it had stunned him. There sat a constant weight on his chest, pain radiating from its center and pulsing—throbbing—like a festering wound. It was the second time he'd experienced _this_ particular pain. The first had been the negligence of the Moon…and now it was _his_ first believer, Jamie, slipping through his fingers and he couldn't do anything to stop it. It was so bad…so painful that Jack believed it was something _nobody_ should ever have to experience.

**_I'm still reeling from the loss, still a little bit delirious…_**

Years went by and Jack stayed by Jamie's side, acting as his confidant and friend even with the pain that laced its way through his chest with each beating of his reanimated heart. He had to stand by and watch as Jamie moved on with his life, did the one thing Jack couldn't – grow up. He watched as Jamie dated at least four girls before he settled down with one, proposing to her under a snowy day that Jack had especially set up for Jamie that particular night. It was hard, but Jack was recovering…slowly but surely—if not stuck in a delirious state from his loss as the woman jumped for joy and screamed:

"Yes!"

**_Near to you, I am healing, but it's taking so long…_**

He found his solace as he watched Jamie grow up. He found someone to talk to about the pain. Found someone who listened keenly and understood what he was going through. But the years felt grueling, torturous to Jack. It felt like it was taking so _long_…but he was healing, step by step, as he stuck by his confidant—his new friend, someone who was nurturing him back to his feet no matter how long it took to get there, claiming that the best things are nurtured with time.

**_'Cause though he's gone, and you are wonderful, it's hard to move on…_**

Jack stood at the graveyard that held Jamie's grave, setting a rose onto the freshly packed grave and feeling his chest and throat tighten painfully. It was hard to say goodbye, hard to stand there by his first believer's bedside in the hospital and watch those warm brown eyes glaze over as death claimed him from old age. He would have broken down if not for his crutch, his friend, who was strong and surprisingly patient. In all honesty he was wonderful in everything he did. Distracting Jack when he needed it, giving him a shoulder to cry on when it became too much and supplied him with the thing he so desperately needed during this time—his friendship. But it was so hard to move on, and once again he was reminded that the best things are nurtured with time.

**_Yet, I'm better near to you…_**

Jack, engrossed himself in his new found friend—noticing that he was always _better_ when he was near him. Things didn't quite hurt so badly. It didn't _fix_ everything, of course, but like a band aid it helped to cover the wound and allow it to heal. Their time together was always warm, filled with care and—dare he think it again—_love_?

**_You and I have something different, and I'm enjoying it cautiously…_**

It wasn't his first believer. Hell his newly budding relationship wasn't even with a being who had been or was part of the Human race. But it was refreshing in its differences. They had made something together, something that wasn't quite normal but was healthy all the same—not destructive as before for Jack since this being, much like him, was stagnant…and he found himself enjoying it. He erred on the side of caution though; their pasts arising every so often to wedge a splint between them and make them yell and scream at each other, but no matter what Jack enjoyed it. He was cautiously optimistic, but _always _enjoyed it.

**_I'm battle scarred, I am working oh so hard, to get back to who I used to be…_**

His scars stood in the way, hurdles to be crossed as they explored what they had. He'd showed them off, explaining the negligence of the Moon and how it hurt. About how painful it had been when he'd fallen hard for Jamie only to realize that those feelings couldn't be reciprocated—let alone rightly enjoyed. They weren't battle scars from war; in fact they were the worst kind of scars…something his new love knew of very well. But Jack was working on those emotional scars—_they_—were working on them. They were both working together trying to get Jack back. Both of them were, and slowly but surely they made baby steps—getting Jack back to himself.

**_He's disappearing, fading subtly…_**

Jack sat out in the sunlight, surrounded by green grass and brightly colored flowers. It was quiet, which was usually when the pain set in as he thought about everything that had passed. Every time he sat in silence he noticed that, as time went by, the pain—weight—on his chest was slowly disappeared…fading with each ticking of his timeless clock so subtly that it almost felt like it never deterred. That weight on his chest still hurt, of course, but it didn't scar him as it had before. He noticed the memories were slowly fading to the background, replaced by nothing but good ones—just as he'd been directed to focus on…to nurture those good memories.

**_I'm so close to being yours, won't you stay with me…_**

He glanced to his right when something sat down beside him. He sent it a lopsided grin which was returned with a light hearted snort. Jack turned back to gazing at the flowers in front of him, his thoughts on Jamie even though twenty years had passed since his death. It was a slow process, fixing the emotional scars that went along with falling in love with someone that didn't—couldn't—reciprocate that emotion. Jack's throat tightened at that thought, one of the few reminders that still made him near tearing up. It was always when he would be left alone, his friend seeming to know when he needed the privacy.

But what his friend didn't realize was that Jack was _so_ close to being his. _So_ close that Jack couldn't bare for him to walk away to give him privacy as he had all the other times.

This time Jack shot his arm out and gripped that strong leather clad forearm and sent up his pleading blue eyes to his _new_ love's. "Won't you stay with me?"

**_Please…_**

"Please?"

**_Near to you, I am healing…_**

Jack sighed in relief when his love gave a sharp nod, crouching down and sitting as he grabbed up his sketchbook and set away to making designs. His presence alone helped…it _healed_ Jack—even if he did nothing at all besides just sit there and allow Jack to mourn. It was, after all, the twentieth anniversary of Jamie's death—of Jack's first believer passing from this world and into the next—the world none of them could reach without going there themselves. Of course Jack had work to do, which was why he never went. He'd been tempted once or twice, unable to handle the weight on his chest…and then _he'd_ shown up, seeming to know when Jack had lost his hope and was there to nurture it back into a healthy state…_healing_ him as Jack healed himself.

**_But it's taking so long, 'cause though he's gone…_**

But it was taking _so_ long to fix _everything_. Jack was beginning to feel guilty, all because Jamie was gone and it had been such a heavy hit to him. It had knocked him from his feet, left him clawing at the dirt…and then that hand had appeared to help Jack up from his loss, there to sit by and wait for however long it took for Jack to recover—because Jack _had_ to recover. Though Jamie was gone Jack had a job to do.

**_And you are wonderful, it's hard to move on…_**

Of course Jack's crutch was absolutely wonderful. Short tempered at times and prone to yelling and snarky comments—making it hard at times for Jack to move on from Jamie. Jamie had been nice, rarely raising his voice unless the occasion had called for it and always pleasant. Jack's newest love was tough to understand due to their differences, tough to wrap his head around…but Jack wasn't going to deny just how _wonderful_ he was in his imperfections. Just how wonderful he was when it came to just being there when Jack needed him to.

**_Yet, I'm better near to you…_**

Yet he was everything Jack needed; everything that Jack needed to get better. His presence alone was making Jack feel as if that weight on his chest was finally disappearing, fading.

**_I only know that I am, better where you are, I only know that I am, better where you are…_**

The first time Jack had realized Jamie wasn't going to recognize his intention was the first time he'd shown up. The first time he'd acted as a crutch without even realizing it. He had dragged Jack off to go do something 'fun' as he had claimed, showing Jack around the outdoors and bringing to light things Jack hadn't noticed before—showing him just what the world was capable of. It was a great distraction from Jack's heartache…and then Jack realized that as long as he was near his crutch he was better. The situation surrounding Jamie didn't hurt as bad, and this course happened for fifty years before Jamie passed. Then his crutch was there with a flower to give to Jamie's grave and a shoulder to lean on—making everything better by his mere presence alone. Wherever he went Jack did too for the first five years before he felt well enough to go places on his own, but he'd always loop back when the pain on his chest became too much—always went back to get _better_.

**_I only know that I belong, where you are…_**

It took awhile for him to realize this, but Jack finally connected the dots through his disoriented, delirious, state. He realized this 'friendship', his 'crutch', was turning into something so much more. It made him realize that he belonged wherever his new _lover_ was. It was unquestionable in its truth. This was why Jack had stuck near him, rarely straying far from his side because he knew it was where he belonged.

**_Near to you, I am healing, but it's taking so long, though he's gone, and you are wonderful, it's hard to move on. Near to you, I am healing, but it's taking so long, 'cause though he's gone, and you are wonderful, it's hard to move on…_**

When they'd first started their 'different' relationship had been rocky. Jack was always the first to step forward with a wavering voice when it became too much.

"Whenever I'm near to _you_…I'm…I'm healing." Jack had explained, breaths hiccuping as he explained, "I'm sorry it's taking so long, I'm sorry I'm overreacting. I _know_ that he's gone…but it's _so_ hard to move on. I'm so scared I'm going to lose everything I loved about him." Jack would cry out into the warmth of the shoulder that had been offered to him as tears rolled down his cheeks—icing over as they reached the halfway point.

It had been too hard to do this to his newest love. To have to tell him these things and then have it be returned with a knowing smile and a loving, understanding, embrace.

"What've Ah said?" He would reply in his gruff voice, chucking Jack under his chin with a light hearted wink. "Things of this nature—_us_ and yer situation—takes time ta nurture."

Jack had always nodded, trusting his newest love's advice and setting away to going about life—keeping close and rarely separating from his side.

As time ticked by and Aster realized that twenty years had passed since Jamie's death had seemingly finally settled with Jack. Aster had stepped up towards Jack, noting the lopsided smile and choosing to sit down next to Jack that fateful day when he'd seen Jack's frame falter. Aster had watched him carefully, ready to hedge a subject he was nervous to bring up. Then he had watched as Jack's demeanor drooped briefly and he knew it was time to give the kid some privacy, to bring up his blooming feelings for the kid that had accidentally stolen his heart as he nurtured him back from the brink. What he hadn't expected was the kid to tell him to stay, asking him to stay and causing his jaw to drop shortly after with the word _please _crossing those thin lips.

**_Yet, I'm better near to you. Yet, I'm better near to you…_**

Jack smirked up at the gaping Bunny who was so dumbfounded, so shocked that he couldn't even move…at least until he seemed to gather himself with a warm smile and his green eyes alighting with hope, the very thing Bunny encompassed. Bunny nodded towards Jack, plopping himself down next to him and tugging his sketchbook from his bandolier yet again. It was soothing, it was relaxing…it was everything Jack needed and Bunny knew that.

"I'm so much better when I'm near you." Jack murmured as his heart ceased it's ever insistent weight.

"And Ah'm glad Ah could help ya through it." Bunny murmured in return, sending a quick glance over to him. "Want ta visit 'im?"

"I'd like too." Jack stated, standing up and holding out his hand. He smiled when Bunny's paw wrapped around his and he walked him towards the edge of the Warren. Bunny plucked a rose from his Warren and handed it off to Jack as they headed out into the world and shortly stood above Jamie's grave. "I miss you, Jams…but I've got to move on. I'll never forget you, even if you do fade away. But I found someone I'm…_better_ around…if that makes any sense. Someone I can be near..."

"Ah'll take care of 'im." Bunny stated suddenly, pulling Jack into his arms and giving his forehead a light kiss before he glanced to the grave. "And Ah'm sure, Jack, that Jamie knows _exactly_ what yer talkin' about. Ya were close. He knows ya better than yerself Ah bet."

Jack grinned up at Bunny, embracing him in a tight hug and sighing as the last of the weight on his chest disappeared—replaced by the carefully nurtured _love_ he felt for Bunny.


End file.
